CMEP Condemns the Israeli Settler Attack Against the Palestinian Christian Village of Taybeh
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) condemns the most recent attack by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh, where on July 7, 2025, settlers deliberately set fire near the town cemetery and the historic Church of Saint George, dating back to the 5th century. This violent act, thwarted only by the intervention of local residents and firefighters, is part of what local Christian clergy describe as “a series of dangerous, systematic attacks” against the village’s land, holy sites, and people. Taybeh, historically known as Ephraim, is the last entirely Christian town in the West Bank, and these assaults represent not only a grave threat to its security but a direct effort to undermine the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
This incident is tragically not an isolated one. Christian communities throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem have faced increasing threats from extremist settlers and discriminatory Israeli policies. From repeated desecrations of Christian property to attempts at land confiscation, such as the ongoing expansion of the so-called “National Park” in East Jerusalem aimed at encircling Christian and Muslim neighborhoods, Palestinian Christians are being pushed toward exile. These targeted actions contribute to the alarming exodus of Christians from the very land where Christianity was born.
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of CMEP, stated:
“The settler violence and destruction in Taybeh are part of a much broader and deeply troubling pattern of attacks that are forcing Christians from their homeland. We cannot remain silent while churches are threatened, land is stolen, and families are driven from their communities. The global Christian community must respond with urgency and solidarity.”
CMEP joins the priests and residents of Taybeh in calling upon the Trump Administration and Congress , to launch a transparent investigation into these crimes, apply diplomatic pressure on Israeli authorities to hold settlers accountable, and provide tangible support to ensure that Christian life continues to flourish in the land of Christ’s birth. The Holy Land cannot survive without its indigenous Christian presence. You can read the full statement by the priests of the churches of Taybeh below:
